Spa: Zytek qualifying report

Following a much-interrupted qualifying session for tomorrow's Spa 1,000km event, the five Zytek entries are well placed to take advantage of the endurance nature of the race.
"We are in a reasonable position to get a result," said Robbie Kerr...

Following a much-interrupted qualifying session for tomorrow's Spa 1,000km event, the five Zytek entries are well placed to take advantage of the endurance nature of the race.

"We are in a reasonable position to get a result," said Robbie Kerr who drove the new Team LNT Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S for the very first time in the practice session earlier this morning. "I was baulked on several laps and the red flag came out at just the wrong moment, preventing me from getting the best out of my tyres." With a time of 2m 03.598s Robbie finished seventh overall and fifth quickest of the petrol engined cars, just over a second slower that the fastest of these. He shares the car, which makes it race debut tomorrow with former Le Mans winners Guy Smith and Lawrence Tomlinson.

In the 16-strong LMP2 class Zyteks placed fourth, fifth and sixth with Olivier Pla the quickest, with a time of 2m 08.850s, in Quifel-ASM's Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S. "Qualifying for us was more like a practice session as we were still trying out a number of changes," said Olivier. "I also had problems with all the red and yellow flags but I think we are good shape for tomorrow." Miguel Amaral will also drive the Portuguese entered car in the race.

"I'm getting to know the car better," said Philipp Peter who qualified the GAC Racing Zytek 07S fifth in class with a time of 2m 09.326s. "After this morning's practice we made some adjustments - to good effect - to make the car more reactive." Phillip will share the car with Karim Ojjeh and Claude-Yves Gosselin.

Next up was the Team Barazi Epsilon Zytek 07S making its first appearance of the season. Driver Fernando Rees pointed out that, unlike its rivals, who competed in the opening round of the Le Mans Series at Barcelona, the team was having to learn about the effects of the new, 2009 regulations. The car was Dunlop-shod for the first time. Fernando admitted that having made some adjustments following the morning's practice session, the team had found more speed on the straights but lost some on the corners. Fernando's best time was 2m 09.662s. Juan Barazi will also drive the car tomorrow.

Tristan Gommendy, driving the sixth Zytek-engined car in the field, the WR Salini, was enthusiastic about the improvements that have become apparent in the car this season. He qualified it in the top half of the LMP2 field with a time of 2m 11.874s. As the lead driver, Tristan will start the race to take advantage of this position. His team mates are Stéphane and Philippe Salini

Having won the pole at Barcelona the Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S will start at on the back row of the grid. Having just started his second lap, Danny Watts spun on oil at the La Source hairpin and flat spotted his tyres.